tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86558754155721755662024-03-05T00:31:03.168-08:00 Tasha in Tahiti sister missionaryNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-9326083106667213972015-02-01T16:58:00.003-08:002015-02-01T16:58:43.092-08:00January 26, 2015 - 18 Month Mark<div class="missionletters_letter" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;">
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Yesterday I hit the 18 month mark on mission. I have been serving as a full time set apart missonary for 18 months. What a blessing, and I am so grateful I have the opportunity to serve just a few weeks extra. Just to make sure if I didn't accomplish something I was supposed to accomplish I can get it done.<br /><br />In preparing to come home I am going to write every convert a letter because I really plan to stay in contact with all of them. That is where facebook comes in handy and emails. I just found out that one of them hadn't been going to church in Tahiti and I became really worried.<br /><br />This week was really interesting. The good thing about being on a little Island is that we can see our efforts affecting the people at a population level. It is really good to see people being more unified and loving. The bad side is that you really become firsthand witnesses of Satans power and how he tries to stop people from entering and becoming clean in Christ's gospel.<br /><br />Sunday is always the most spiritual day for us. The talks are always very spiritual and there have been more and more people coming to church. At first when we got here there were around 35 and now there are around 55 to 60. It has been so touching. The spirit was strong yesterday as usual but afterward sitting in relief society across the hall I heard banging of chairs and yelling and i looked over with my companion and there was Firmin ( a young adult in our ward) with blood all over his white shirt dripping everywhere in the chapel and another young adult was behing held back by the preisthood leaders. It was so scary and honestly because of my relationship with everyone I feel very responsable for everything that happens.<br /><br />Turns out Firmin had been really offended by something two young adults had said and he chose to let his anger out in preisthood meeting by punching one and kicking the other to the ground. He had brought his mouth guard with him with the intention to fight. He is also a little sick and is very sensitive but in defending himself the other one had hit firmin on the head with a chair and broke the skin. It was so evil. I felt so dirty and I cried while cleaning up the blood.<br /><br />Then later another couple we teach and are planning on getting married fought and got separated. Agnes the girl was desperate and Julio was supposed to get baptized in March but it seemed really serious when they separated. Needless to say I felt really overwhelmed and found myself many times pleading with Heavenly Father to help us fight Satan. I felt peaceful knowing that Heavenly Father will always win.<br /><br />What is the moral of the story? This is the true church. There is no other church which is true. This is the Lords kingdom on the earth. It can be found even here on this little Island, and with the truth there comes opposition. Moana the father of Mahuta is getting baptized this saturday, and another little boy turning eight is getting baptized Monday. Moana had his interview and passed but is having serious withdrawls from not smoking. He is really suffering, but the we are marching on and surrounding him with support.<br /><br />I know he can make it but he neeeds every prayer he can get. I love their family so much and would be ready to give anything for them to be sealed in the temple. I know Moana is just at the beginnig of his jouney accepting the gospel. I have seen the biggest miracle in his change in heart. he still has lots of imperfections like us all but he is really so much happier. Please pray for him.<br /><br />Sorry for the length but I am trying hard to leave this sector the best I can. I love Takapoto. I love the gospel and I love Jesus Christ.<br />Love Soeur Kimball</div>
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Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-89436061325497747282015-02-01T16:57:00.001-08:002015-02-01T16:57:21.639-08:00January 19, 2015 - Mahuta Family Interested<div class="missionletters_letter" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;">
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Sometimes I feel like on my mission people serve me more than I serve people, which is not really normal. My companion had similar feelings and this week we really tried to serve a lot, and it went really well. People sometimes treat us like princesses. One mami when she saw us working with her grandson to dry the coconuts almost had a panick attack. She said " missionaries are meant for praying not for working". I feel she needs a little instruciton about what missionary work is really.<br /><br />Exactly one week ago Mahuta was baptized. It was such a miracle. My companion and I tried to make everything as spiritual as possible. The baptism was last minute and so we spent two hours going around the whole island and inviting everyone we knew.Tthe turn out was really good, and when he bore his testimony everyone cried. I can't believe how prepared he was for the gospel.<br /><br />He came here to live with his dad and we talked to him about Jesus Christ and he said we could come and talk to him. The turning point was when he started reading the Book of Mormon and knew it was true. The light that entered his life really assured him that it was true. I remember us talking a lot to him about faith and about how to nourish his faith. He got kicked out of his house for getting baptized. His mom told him she wouldn't accept him anymore. I really can't believe the sacrifices he made to follow our Savior. I don't think I could have done it.<br /><br />In short, his whole family has gotten motivated from this experience. His dad Moana is an ami we have been working with for a really long time but he struggles with his cigarettes. He recieved a blessing this week and his faith has also grown. There is no other way except praying with ferveur and reading the scriptures and coming to church to nourish ones faith, but I learned to much about how one persons example can help soften the heart of many people. I am so proud of Mahuta for his faithfulness to God. He will be such a good misionnary.<br /><br />I don't like thinking about it because I don't have that much time left. It makes me want to do everything I can to learn and grow these last few weeks. I want to reach my potential and have more courage to explain to others what they must do.<br />Thank you so much for your love.<br />Soeur Kimball</div>
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Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-37150572397442856882015-02-01T16:56:00.001-08:002015-02-01T16:56:08.972-08:00January 12, 2015 - Mahuta's Baptism<div class="missionletters_letter" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;">
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How can I sum up all of this weeks events in one letter? I don't think I can.<br />Thank you for all of your prayers in my behalf and of Takapotos behalf. This week my testimony have been reconfirmed that the Lord always hears our prayers and ANSWERS them. Always. And how many fervent prayers have I given this week? I hope enough. The commandement that God has given us is to pray often in all things so that He may bless and guide us.<br /><br />In exactly one hour from now Mahuta will be getting baptized in the ocean just across from the church. I am sitll in shock. No one expected it. The Lord has been so merciful;<br /><br />If you don't remember Mahuta is this 17 year old boy who we talked to sitting in front of his house one month ago. He had never taken lessons and he had been to church as a little kid with his aunt a couple of times, but he said he liked to hear stories about Jesus Christ and that would be fine if we met with him. Sometimes I tend to be a little impulsive in talking to people and yesterday I asked him what his first impression of us was for him and he said that he didnt really know what to say because he was kind of scared haha.<br /><br />After teaching him and getting support from his friends that were members he really started to understand. He is one of those chosen spirits of our Heavenly Father. He is observant and really smart. And completely ready to accept the gospel.<br /><br />He wanted to be baptized since two weeks ago but needed autorization for his parents who are not members.<br />It is kind of too long to explain but Mahuta was completely rejected by his mom and his grandpa to be baptized. I can't believe the sacrifices he made. He will no longer be returning to see his mom. She completely rejected him after telling him that he could get baptized but after she would never accept him again.<br />But nothing discouraged him. He kept praying and reading every day, and after so many prayers and fasts. It finally went through. I still am not really sure how, but Heavenly Father is so merciful. I feel that sometimes that is the test to believe in His mercy, because sometimes He seems so harsh and punishing but in reality He is just love. I know all He does is for our benefit, even to give His son Jesus Christ .<br /><br />Without Jesus Christ we would have no hope to return to Heavenly Father and His gospel in its fulness is the only way we can recieve hope and be purified of our wrongs. Miracles continue. What are miracles? Really just manifestations of Gods power and his love for us.<br />Love Soeur Kimball</div>
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Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-67835922579856085982015-02-01T16:54:00.003-08:002015-02-01T16:54:56.136-08:00December 15, 2014 - New Companion<div class="missionletters_letter" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;">
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Thank you for all your love and support. This Christmas we will feel just a little bit lonely because almost all of our members took a two week trip to the temple in Tahiti. I am so proud of them. Many of them will be getting their endowement and there is a family that is getting sealed, so in that regard I am very happy, but I will miss them, especially Boban; President Maa. and Pierre.<br /><br />These three priesthood holders come with us to almost every lesson every day. They do missionary work with us. I know this is really dumb but we call ourselves the power rangers of Takapoto. Haha. I am not sure if I know what is funny and what is not anymore, but I have learned so much from them. They all have such powerful testimonies and we have had so many spiritual experiences together. I will send you a picture of all of us next week. They even wanted to do morning exercizes with us at 6 30 so we all ran the length of the runway of the airport together. It was so funny and my new companion was so confused. Things happen here that would happen nowhere else.<br /><br />I have to tell you this week was a week of miracles. I have really been using this time that is left on my mission to really warn people about the importance to act now. We tell people during lessons the best time to do these things and change their life was two weeks ago. We have a lot of potential here and I know Heavenly Father has helped us find his chosen people that are ready to accept the gospel.<br /><br />As you know I am with a new companion who I am training here. She is the sweetest and so funny. She reminds me of Ashley and she really is ready to work. She kind of got a little scared because this week we talked a lot of Tahitian and she didn't understand what was happening, but I know the Lord put her here for a specific reason. I am not sure if I could handle being here for the first transfer of my mission, but she is really a faith filled sister.<br /><br />We have this investigator that is an alcoholic and he drinks every day. We had been teaching lessons with him for a while in Tahitian and all of a sudden he stopped drinking. He said he didn't know where the desire came from but he just stopped. We had already taught him the word of wisdom but he had acted on his faith in that moment, and since he has really been progressing but he just didn't understand the difference between the LDS church and his church. So we invited him and showed him examples of how he needed to recieve a confirmation that all the things we were teaching him are true. I didn't know he had really understood because sometimes he doesn't seem to capture what we want him to do.<br /><br />Sunday we were supposed to get an investigator to come with us to church and she said she wasn't ready because she couldn't wash her clothes so coming back to the church we saw him going to his church and invited him to come to the chapel after, so he came and we were able to find out that our invitation had really affected him and now he has become an honest seeker. I was so happy because I know Heavenly Father had blessed us because of our prayers and our fasts. He is one step closer to being baptized. Please pray he will recognize the answer to his prayers.<br /><br />I also gave a talk this week about the parents role in teaching their children and raising future missionaries. I shared a lot of experiences of all that my parents have taught me and it made me cry too. I just want to thank you for always showing me the best example.<br /><br />So there is my week and I know I will have adventurs to share with you for next week. I love you and I know the most important responsability we have is to uplift and help those who are around us. I love you all so much.<br />Love Soeur Kimball<br />Merry CHristmas!</div>
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Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-44121389596880152872015-02-01T16:52:00.002-08:002015-02-01T16:53:06.130-08:00December 1, 2014 - Power of Priesthood<div class="missionletters_letter" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Lucida Sans Unicode', Arial, Verdana, Helvetica; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23px;">
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Sister Moli, my companion, was transfered. She is going back to Tahiti in Faaa, and I am staying here, and guess what? I am training a new missionary that is getting here. I will be training for my last two transfers on the mission and so that means that I am finishing my mission in TAKAPOTO. Woohoo. I was so excited to know for sure that I will finish here. That means I will have been here for over a third of my mission, but I am not complaining.<br />
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Sometimes it is a little hard to teach people because almost everyone believes everything we tell them. I think almost 100 percent of everyone we have given the first lesson believes that Joseph Smith really saw God and Jesus Christ. They just have a really hard time putting the pieces together and understanding how knowing this can affect them, and that is our job.<br />
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We had some really incredible experiences this week. I have really been working on my teaching but it is hard. Sometimes I feel like I ask bad questions but the best way to know that you are teaching by the spirit is that when you teach you are learning at the same time. It was like that for me yesterday. We taught Erena this cute lady who doesnt have any support from her boyfriend that she lives with. She is a member of the Reorgranized Church and so it is hard to teach her but she really is needs the gospel. She has had a lot of trials. I really felt love and compassion as we taught her yesterday. It was so hard because we taught her about faith and the importance to ask God to know if everything we had taught her was true. It was so good but afterward she said she wanted to stop the lessons because she would be too busy. We were heartbroken. It is just so hard to see investigators feeling the spirit and then reject the message. Pray for her.<br />
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We had another really incredible experience with the Priesthood this week too. I and my companion did an activity in the branch about the Priesthood and invited the investigators. We didn't have a super good turnout but it was ok. Afterwards our new convert Pierre was playing soccer and hit his foot really hard and so it started bleeding. We were putting bandaids and stuff on his foot and at the end I had stood up to go put away our scriptures in our backpacks but when I looked around my companion was bent down and was crying. Someone had kicked the soccer ball really really hard and it had hit her and knocked the wind out of her and it reminded her of her accident when she got hit by a car in Tahiti so it became pretty traumatizing for her. It was pretty late at night but I felt the impression that I needed to call to have a blessing for her. Our DMB and the counselor in the branch presidency came to give the blessing. It was one of the most spiritual experiences I have had here. The room in the chapel was so filled with the spirit and peace. I was just sitting there crying.<br />
Why did Heavenly Father let all of this happen? It was all really unexpected but it was to help us see the Priesthood in action. So that our testimonies could be confirmed about what we had taught that night. He showed us that Priesthood power is real and the things we teach are real. It was a very neat learning experience and I will ever be so grateful for the peace we can feel by knowing the Lord operates through his servants today to bless us and lead us.<br />
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soeur Kimball</div>
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Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-19230436604406644582014-11-30T16:38:00.001-08:002014-11-30T16:38:44.742-08:00November 24, 2014 - Mehiti & Hauani<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333339691162px;">This morning for P-day we had some members teach us how to play the guitar and the Ukelele. It is one of my goals next year to be able to play the guitar. </span><br />
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This week marked a rough spot in the missionary work. I really love being here but sometimes I think it might be better to have someone replace me because they would be more motivated. I am really motivated but it just gets hard when I am soo used to everybody and everything that I start to become blind to missionary opportunities, but this weekend I was so grateful for the power of the Atonement. <span style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;">We had an incredible lesson with a couple this week Hauani and Mehiti. Mehiti got pregnant and her boyfriend is Hauani. They are so young but really want to accept the gospel; they are ready to get married and everything but the dad of Hauani told him he could never change religions so it is hard for Hauani to accept the invitation to be baptized. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;">This week he really opened up thanks to the spirit and expressed his true desire to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized. He reads the Book of Mormon and knows it is true. They are going back to Tahiti to see if his dad will accept. In the meantime we just help him become as spiritually strong as possible to face his family. I really felt the love of the Lord for him and know the Lord never gives us trials that we cannot face. We shared 1 Corinthians 10: 13 with them and then Mehiti bore testimony about how hard it was for her when she was pregnant and was shutout from her immediate family and friends. I felt so much sadness for her, but love knowing that she was doing the right thing now. </span></div>
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Today we get the call for the transfer so I am nervous but I know the Lord is in control. What a blessing to know that no matter what stupid mistakes we make or others everything can be corrected through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am willing to go wherever the Lord needs me. </div>
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I just wanted to share with you all an experience I had with my companion. This week we had some misunderstandings and we both had gotten really discouraged and after someone had said some not so nice things about us. We were both down a little bit and I had also reacted in a way that wasn't so nice earlier that day, so basically at the end of the day we were both completely dissapointed. I really feel like I didn't have the spirit with me, and I didn't even feel like talking. It was really not good. Why am I telling you all this, because I know that the answer to every problem in every relationship and every family is the Gospel. We said prayers together and we studied together and we shared thoughts and talked it through. I really felt the Lord helping us and guiding us with His love and I know that He can heal us no matter what we are doing through. He will never withhold his love from us and we need to not withold our love from others. </div>
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I know the gospel is true and I am so grateful for all of you and your prayers and thoughts. Be faithful; </div>
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Love Seour Kimball</div>
Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-24635495950411738882014-11-16T13:51:00.002-08:002014-11-16T13:51:18.240-08:00November 17, 2014 Teaching by the Spirit<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.3333339691162px;">This week Elder Pearson came to Tahiti and gave a conference for all of the missionaries, so we had to try to watch it by camera over the internet. At first the internet wasn't working so we just kept trying and praying and then we found a member who let us use their computer and it worked! It was a good thing because it was one of those conferences that I was really taught by the spirit. Elder Pearson talked about how we can recognize the spirit and the importance of the spirit. It was incredible because all of my studies all week long had prepared me to hear his talk so I could make connections and find meaning. I think the most important thing I learned is that I just really want to get so good at teaching only by the spirit. It takes a lot of preparation and effort and concentration and reflextion but there is nothing better than watching a person recieve the light of Christ through true words. </span><br />
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This week we had some really spiritual moments. At our sacrament meeting we were asked to give talks with our mission president. The spirit was so strong and we had a lot of inactives come this week to the branch. I was so happy, and my companion shared her experience of when she got hit by a car on her bike in Tahiti. Her companion had to have surgery on her brain and had to have rehabilitation. My companion Soeur Moli is so strong. It was really tramatic but her faith has become so strong because of it. I am so grateful to serve with her. </div>
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We also had a really spiritual experience with our investigator Pierre. We fasted with him for the first time and we had other members want to fast with us; fasting is so powerful. I laughed so hard because Pierre was like " I was brushing my teeth this morning during the fast and I told myself DONT SWALLOW THE WATER." haha. He is so funny, and the Book of Mormon is his best friend. He reads every day without fail. We love him. </div>
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Besides that, even though we had a really great <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_375502781" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">Sunday,</span></span> there was some problems during the classes, because a brother had criticized another brother because he messed up one time saying the sacrament prayers. It really<span style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;"> hurt him because he had just come back into the church after being inactive for years. His name is Andy and he is one of the most humble people I have met on my mission. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.3333339691162px;">We can call him five minutes before a lesson asking him to come and he comes in church, clothes instantly. I just know that judging and criticizing will never help the Lords work. Love and charity are the most important principles of the gospel. </span></div>
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I feel this week I need to improve on searching more dilligently investigators. It is to the point where we basically know everyone and everything about them. I can basically tell you what the members are going to give us to eat. I think we have already eaten with every single family 4 or 5 times. We are so blessed. </div>
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I am so grateful for the opportunity that Heavenly Father has given me; I was really reflecting about free agency and I have realized that the person I am toda,y I chose to be. The Lord has helped me in every righteous effort. He has always supported me. I love Him and I know living His gospel is the greatest thing we can do; all He asks of us is to obey. Obey and the blessings follow. </div>
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Love Soeur Kimball</div>
Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-46309125827068520512014-11-09T13:49:00.002-08:002014-11-09T13:49:21.685-08:00November 3, 2014 - Eating DogSo, officially I will be coming home Feb 16... if you didnt know. I am so blessed to be serving here right now. All of the missionaries want to serve in the islands and so I just keep remembering how blessed I am to serve here right now. It has been such a building and good experience; It really has taught me to be independent; And how to rely on the Lord and trust him. In the end His will is always done and we just have to accept and do everything we can to be on His side. <br />
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This week has been a week of miracles because of fasting; sometimes it seems like we fast and fast and pray and nothing happens but I know the Lord is doing everything He can to soften hearts and prepare people.<br />
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We had a really good lesson with a couple yesterday; they are really young and have a baby but they aren't married. The girl is a member, but the boy Hauani isn't. Before it seemed like he wasn't really paying attention that much during lessons and didn't really care, but we fasted for him as a branch with the other amis. When we taught the restoration yesterday he really understood. It is those moments that are the most incredible. When you see investigators understanding. After they asked the question " so you mean the LDS church is the same church that exsisted since the beginning", and we were like " yyyeess". I never had realized how hard teaching was until I started my mission; It is so important to teach by the spirit to help people see. I love teaching now, and I keep trying to improve my techniques of teaching. <br />
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Our branch discovered that I have the gift of imitating animals and various things, so for halloween they made me imitate a mummy and everything in front of everyone. It was so funny and I am pretty sure everybody thinks I am crazy here. When we teach english I act super dramatic to make them retain what they learned and they laugh a lot; <br />
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Oh, and speaking of animals and stuff, Guess WHAT? Monday for our family home evening we always eat at the end and there was this pot of meat in it, but I have learned to not ask questions and just eat what is in the pots. I put it on my plate and every body was looking at us really suspiciously. Almost none of the kids ate it, so we were like " what it this?" and they told us what it was in Puamatu which I don't understand. Then our ami Moana lied to us and said it was goat, so I was like " this is not the first time I have eaten suspicious meat" and then I ate it.<br />
Four days later a member was like " so I heard you guys ate dog Monday"!!!<br />
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You guys I ate a dog, and it wasn't just a random dog. It was the families pet dog. I started panicking when they told us. haha; It was kind of good but I was just too disturbed. It would be like if I was eating Oreo. If you want to know how they made the dog die you can ask me after my mission; <br />
so there you go, and so I will be careful with what I am eating at the member house now. Haha. I am so blessed. I got over every picky eating habit I had before.<br />
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And even better is that our investigator Pierre is having his baptismal interview this week; please pray for him. Satan is so vicious. At church, after the meetings, the family member of Pierre came and criticized him in front of everybody telling him that she was really not happy to see him in the Mormon church. She was so mad, and it wasn't the frist attack. Whenever we have an ami that starts reading the Book of Mormon some member of their family comes and critisizes them. It is like the end of the world if they change churches., but Pierre is so strong. It barely even phased him. He just keeps talking about how happy he is since he has read the Book of Mormon. When we taught him the tithing he said he wanted to pay 50 percent of his money; <br />
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I just loved the talk this week by Elder Utchdorf " Lord is it I" I hope you can all read it. I am so happy to be here and I know that living the gospel is possible anywhere in the world. It is written in our hearts. I love serving the Lord. <br />
Love Soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-73305905433175873892014-11-09T13:34:00.005-08:002014-11-16T13:32:52.873-08:00October 27 2014 - Gone FishingToday we got up and went fishing with a couple in our ward and some amis. It was a really neat experience and we found a random beach after to cook the fish by burning it on leaves and then rinsing it in the water. It was really good and to drink we found coconuts and cut them open. You guys will have to try it. I don't think I will ever be able to eat fish at home again because the fish is sooo much better here; I was just sitting there thinking of how grateful I am to have been so blessed to serve here, not for the fish, but for the people and the love that our Savior has for them. I am so grateful to be part of the gathering of Israel. <br />
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We lost a lot of lessons this week but it was still a very incredible week. I think that every week is just incredible because every week my testimony grows and my vision of the gospel gets bigger. I would just like to share an experience. Members here are so faithful; I know they are so blesesd of the Lord. <br />
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This week something happened where a leader in our branch got offended; Actually, it kind of happens a lot, but it was to the point where he said he was never coming back to church, and in a branch of 40 people we can't afford to lose any one. Every person brings so much into the branch. <br />
Saturday the DMB had proposed to do a fast as a branch together for the missionary work. We fixed it for 12 o clock and hoped that all the members would come. Almost everyone came to support and we wrote a list of names of amis to fast for that really had potential to be baptized. Then, after thinking, our members decided to add the name of the brother that had been offended. I am sure it would have been easy to have thought that it was his fault that he was offended and that we should just leave him, but everyone agreed to add his name; The moment we all got on our knees and startted to pray to start the fast the spirit was soo strong. I have never felt the spirit so strong for a fast. Unity has been something we have been searching for and as the Love of God entered in the little room we felt so much for unified. <br />
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Because of the fast the sister who had offended him felt that she needed to see him to repare anyting she had done wrong. I am not even sure who was really at fault but all I know is that it didn't matter. Through the fast the spirit was able to communicate with her to apologize and his heart was softened. Sunday he came back to church and we ended our fast. It was such an incredible experience for everyone and I was so grateful to be a part of it. <br />
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Even if we cant see the immediate effects of our prayers or fasts I know the Lord counts every effort. Not one effort goes uncounted. All of those little efforts help us become more like our precious Savior. <br />
Love Soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-56216305044033960472014-11-09T06:49:00.000-08:002014-11-16T13:30:21.774-08:00October 20, 2014 - Lost in Communications<div class="adn ads" style="background-color: white; border-left-color: transparent; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 8px;">
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Wow, sorry I didn't get to write you guys last time. The internet and phone access broke for two weeks so we couldn't call anyone or go on the internet. Nobody in our mission was able to contact us. We get this call this morning saying that we were supposed to have a conference this morning but nobody told us, and so we missed hearing Elder Nelson talk to the missionaries. We were supposed to assist over the internet and we missed it! I missed hearing an apostle speak to us! Haha but it is ok because the internet came back this week.<br />
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I have so many things to tell you. Our investigator Victor stop taking lessons because he had been lying to us. He hadnt real'ly ever been interested, so we keep praying for him, but if you remember Pierre our other ami who is kind of deaf?<br />
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Well we found out he is friends with a member in our branch so we started teaching more lessons with him and we found out that he is really poor. He barely has enough to eat, and his girlfriend left him so he is all alone with his son. He smoked drugs and cigarettes, and we had to talk suuuuper simply because it is hard for him to understand everything but after we engaged him to read the Book of Mormon he read 137 pages in two days. I am not joking. He actually read it all. He told us he doesn't know how to explain what is happening but the hole in his heart is starting to be filled up. Now he has read up to Helaman in two weeks. . He has started to really understand the gospel and has completely stopped all drugs and cigarettes. He came to church and is doing really well. The biggest temtation for him is that he isnt married and so if his girlfriend comes back he intends to live with her. Our next lesson is the Law of Chastity! I used to think it was so awkward to teach that lesson in the mtc but now I like it.</div>
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It is truly so important to stay virtuous and pure. I just have been so blessed to see his progression and so blessed to understand just a little bit of the love our Heavenly Father has for each one of us as individuals. He truly loves us and cares. </div>
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We had a really good lesson with Patrice yesterday. He is a really hard investigator who is married to a member. He never really listens to us he just critiques us and says things that don't make sense in Tahitian. Sometimes I even imagine throwing my flipflop at him, which is super Christlike. Normally he just twists everything we say but I have really been working on charity, and his son-in- law, who is a member, was there and we talked about baptism. We showed him how to be baptized correctly it has to be exactly how Jesus Christ was baptized. I tried really saying everything with love and not just to criticize him. I started talking in Tahitian and then I gave up so I started speaking in French and then both languages, but the moment when I was explaining that baptism represents a new chance to start over and follow Christ I felt the spirit testifying that it was all true what I was saying. It was so neat, and Patrice was just silent. He kind of pretended to not pay attention but he was, and then his son in law at the end asked him if one day he would accept to be baptized and he said maybe with the time. Before the answer would have been " never!". I just know how true christlike love can have an impact on a Person. It takes so much patience and faith and prayers and love are and the Lord softens hearts. I was so happy. </div>
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I am so grateful for living prophets who guide us and help us become better people; I know the Book of Mormon is true and that if Pierre can read it than anyone can and change their life. </div>
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Love soeur kimball. </div>
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Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-41108407302075992632014-09-30T08:34:00.003-07:002014-09-30T08:34:56.200-07:00September 29, 2014 - Service Projects<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Can you believe it? I have already been here a month. It has really flown by., but I have already grown so much. It is interesting but I think it is something that has really help me grow spiritually. I mean I am kind of really isolated, so it forces me to always turn to my Savior to help me and support me. </span><br />
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We have seen miracles this week and they always happen by the little things. I know that service is so key. We have tried to do at least two service projects every week to open peoples hearts to see why we are really there. Lots of people are scared to talk to us because they think if they talk to us we are going to try to convert them to Mormonism and they don't like that, but really we just want to talk to them about how much they need Jesus Christ in their lives to progress and to be blessed. I am developing more love for them. </div>
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I had a trial this week where I felt like I haven't really been following the spirit and it freaked me out but I am so grateful for personal prayer which always calms me and brings me relief and more faith than I had before. I prayed hard this week to be guided and to know if I was doing the will of God and I just felt the most peaceful feeling today. I felt like Heavenly Father was telling me that He knows everything that is going on and all the efforts I am doing and that He will not leave me. I am just so grateful for the personal inspiration we can always recieve to help us feel comforted and to keep going forward, like president Monson said " As we move forward striving to live as we should; we will surely recieve help from the Lord". </div>
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This week we had a new investigator and he is so humble. His name is Victor and we found him because a ward member invited him to the open house at the chapel Friday. He has had a lot of trials in his life and therefore has turned toward drugs and alcohol for comfort but he is ready to change. We asked him if he would be baptized and he accepted and then we gave him the date of October 25, the last Saturday in October and it just so happens to be his birthday. What a miracle. I am excited to teach him about the plan that God created for him and why he is really here; please pray for him. </div>
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Everytime we get a new ami the first thing that happens is one of their friends tells them they should never talk to the missionaries and that it is a bad decision to learn from us. Satan does everything he can to stop us. I have never felt and seen the adversary working so strong but I know God is willing and able to help us if we put our confidence in Him. </div>
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PS this morning we did a service project on the other side of the island where there is absolutely nobody it is completely untouched and it is soo beautiful. We got coconuts and put them in the truck. It was good and we went with our amis so they can know that we love them. Because we do. Here is me and Taohie a girl we teach searching for coconuts in the tree. Oh and I got so sunburned. </div>
Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-72749181022225765002014-09-30T07:20:00.002-07:002014-11-16T06:40:31.872-08:00September 22, 2014 - reactivation night<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412081254609_10449" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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Hello family!</div>
So things slowed down a bit here in Takapoto this week but it is ok. Soeur Moli and I have been so blessed. Our most devoted investigator went back to Tahiti so we can't teach him anymore but I know the Lord has prepared others. </div>
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Something neat here that all the members do is reactivation night every single Tuesday. In America we have enrichment or mutual and here it is reactivation, and we go every single Tuesday night to visit the inactives. It is so good to see how devoted members are to their callings and to the reactivation. There are a lot of families and people that are inactive here, and most of them have a kind of testimony but they are just so under the influence of Satan that they let themselves become slaves to alcohol and drugs. </div>
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I have never seen and understood how powerful these substances can be to ruin lives and distract us from our eternal progression. I felt the force of the adversary really strong this week. One of our favorite young adults became unworthy this week because of one smoke of a cigarette. Me and Soeur Moli were so devastated that we started crying and when she saw us crying she felt really bad. We talked to her and explained to her the bad consquences of sins that seem to have no consequence. We asked her at least to receive a blessing and she agreed, and the spirit was so strong. The brother giving the blessing just said over and over that God loved her. She felt so bad about what she had chosen to do. </div>
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The temptation to smoke cigarettes or drugs here is so strong that if youth don't have a solid testimony they have just a small chance to not take them. It has become something so normal and so habitual and they just don't understand what they are doing to themselves. With every physical choice there is a spiritual consequence. Right now there are three worthy young adults out of about 20 and to stop smoking it is just so hard for them. I have already seen people place their faith in Christ and stop through prayers and scripture reading and Priesthood power so I know it is possible, so we are just trying to help everyone see the eternal perspective.</div>
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I know that it is just so important that we have testimonies rooted in the gospel so that when temptations come we don't question our faith. Our conversion in the church is necessary and we need to renew that conversion daily by reading scriptures and praying. I know Heavenly Father is more powerful than Satan and that he will help whoever has a broken heart and a contrite spirit to become healed of their addictions by faith in His son Jesus Christ. </div>
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I am not scared or worried. I love you all and I thank you for your prayers. Please pray for the people here in Takapoto so that they can have faith. There are only 400 but they are precious in the eyes of God and they are in need of the spirit. </div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Love Soeur Kimball</span>Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-5283051187881898042014-09-30T06:05:00.004-07:002014-09-30T07:10:01.612-07:00September 15, 2014 - Pet Crab<div id="yui_3_16_0_1_1412081254609_5671" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
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The mission goes by so fast. I can't believe I have already been here for more than 3 weeks. </div>
At first the week was going well but by the time we got to Saturday almost everyone had canceled their lessons, so we just did a lot of biking. We biked to someones house and then they canceled the lesson so then we biked to someone elses house. We had a member with us too, which at least was good. On Saturdays everyone is either drinking or they go to the airport because the plane only comes once a week.<br />
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I was starting to get frustrated with myself and started to ask Heavenly Father to help me feel His love again so that we could keep going. I prayed so that I could be purified by the Holy Ghost so that I could be a more effective and loving missionary. I know Heavenly Father answered me because after taking the sacrament I felt such a peace. I knew God was keeping His promise to give me His spirit to be with me as long as I would be keeping His commandments and being a witness of Him. </div>
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Then something amazing happened; The wife of the branch president had me sing two solos in church which makes me uncomfortable but I did it anyway. We had scheduled a lesson with this couple Litisia and Manutua. We met them one day at their house and did a lesson with them. They told us we could come over Sunday but where they live it is only accessible by boat so we had them pick us up at the end of the road to go on the boat. It was so so pretty. And then we ate fish, coconut, breadfruit and stuff with our hands. They had this like pet crab that was the size of my torso. Teriffying. But after eating we were able to do a lesson with them. We had planned on doing all of the restoration with them and engaging them to be baptized so we did but we had forgotten a Book of Mormon. Luckily the mom of the member who came with us had been inspired to leave a Book in the car and so we took it with us. The spirit was so strong and they all accepted to be baptized if they find out it is true. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have, and I know that if a man lacks wisdom he can ask of God and God will answer him. Manutua told us about how he knows God lives because he would pray over and over that his parents would stop beating him when he was 14 and he felt peace and love of our Heavenly Father. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> I have become closer to Heavenly Father as I have seen how much I need Him. I felt so peaceful and loved as we were riding back to the village and we could see the sunset and all the stars too. I'm not really sure how it was possible but it was such a good experience for me. I thank Heavenly Father for the trials He gives us and the love He gives us to support them. </span>Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-24116739239511211582014-07-27T15:21:00.001-07:002014-11-14T13:01:59.498-08:00July 21, 2014 - Mission Leaderiorana. Eaha to outou huru? hinaaro vau ia faaite tou mau ohipa i tupu i roto i tei nei hepetoma i mairi aenei. E mea maitai roa i teie hepetoma. ua faitoito noa vau no te tauturu i te tahi i te haere i mua i roto i tei evanelia. Te tahi taime e mea fiu roa i teie ohipa no te mea i mairi. No tou mau hoa o te ekaretia i parau parau aita hinaaro matou e haere i mua et faatupu i te hinaaro a te Atua. Aita matau i taua. E mea fifi roa tera peu. Aue ta oe i haere mai no te tavini i te Atua. <br />
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Since you guys are on vacation now I thought you would have a little time to try to translate this. <br />
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I don't have a ton of time but I just want to show you guys the cutest thing ever. My mission leader in the ward Br. Parau is the best. He is this adorable Tahitian man and his wife Leila isn't a member. Sometimes it is really hard for him because his wife doesn't believe in the church, but I really love her too. Monday we did a family home evening with them and we talked about unity in a house and family. It was good and it was so, so sad because at the end Br; Parau shared his thoughts about how he wished his wife loved him as much as she loves their kids, but he said he patientely waits for her to show her love for him.<br />
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I haven't been able to charge my camera at the house because I lost the charger in the house in Mahina and I have no idea where it is. So the mission leader found out about it and he told me to give him my camera. I gave it to him and that week during our coordination meeting he showed me that he and another new convert in the ward had made a homemade charger just for my camera with things they found in the garage. It is so so cute and I couldn't believe they spent all that time just to make a charger for my camera so I could take photos here. <br />
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Our mission president is changing a lot of things in our mission now and actually it is really good. He is so so nice but very official at the same time. <br />
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Something weird happened in the mission where we had way too many sister leaders called, so now we are going to "release" a lot of us. I am on the committee for making up the rules for the STLs. We will see how it goes. <br />
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I love you all and I am so grateful for my family. I am grateful for eternal families and that the Priesthood was restored. Gospel ordances open the doors for us to fully use the power of the Atonement in our lives. He lives and He loves.<br />
Soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-44021644068741429732014-07-27T15:11:00.002-07:002014-11-13T07:26:04.984-08:00July 14, 2014 - Working at TempleI have been stressing out lately for being at the temple because I am not so good at doing things in front of lot of people, but it was so, so good yesterday. We had about 50 people that passed through and I and my companion did so good.<br />
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One of my favorite parts to explain is the first vision because everyone becomes really silent when we talk about Joseph Smith. Since I have started working at the temple (we are there maybe ten hours a week) my testimony has been really strengthened. I have really been able to understand so well the gospel principles, and I have felt the spirit in teaching so many times. It is actually really good. <br />
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This week we saw a miracle. One of my favorite investigators, Maina, was refound. I started the lessons with her about three months ago in my sector with my other companion, but all of a sudden she dissapeared and her phone didn't work anymore. It turns out that for those months she was working a lot and someone stole her phone so she couldn't contact us. It turns out one of the sisters in our ward went to visit a sister that lives next to Maina and Maina asked them if they were Mormon and told them that she was ready to have the sister missionaries again. <br />
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I was so happy. Friday we took her and her boyfriend to the temple to visit the welcomers center and do a tour in the garden. It went so well. She really, really understood that the church is true. I watched as the light came into her eyes when she realized that she had to be baptized to have eternelle life. She even said she wanted to make all of her little brothers Mormon who live on another Island so they could grow up in the church. <br />
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She told us a personal experience she had this week where she really prayed to know when she should be baptized. Immediately afterward she turned to Alma 32:16. Look it up. It was a direct answer to her prayer. I know it and I pray with everything that we would be able to help her boyfriend understand too. We actually work with a lot of couples and I love it. It is so good to see people come unto Christ. <br />
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So, I have to go because my companion wants to play ping pong really bad and she is about to burst waiting for me. I thank you all so much for your prayers. I love you all and I love the Lord;<br />
Soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-78287952838104470912014-07-27T15:03:00.003-07:002014-11-13T07:24:39.998-08:00July 7, 2014 - FaithThis week has been very good. Slow, but good. Sometimes I feel like I am living in slow motion. <br />
We were supposed to have the baptisms this week of Toimato and Kulani, this really cute couple who are my age ( so weird) and who just got married so they could get baptized, but then Kulani suddenly and unexpectedly had her baby! So now she has to wait to get better. I was dissapointed at first but I am so excited that Matarai, their baby boy, is doing well. He will get to witness their baptism so that is cool. <br />
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We have a new mission president and we had a conference with him. He is an amazing person and made us all cry just by bearing his testimony. He is very organized and so that will be good for our mission. We need more organization and communication. Half the time I have no idea what is going on. <br />
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Also, we had an amazing lesson with Bea this week. She is the investigator that I found by tracting. I say I found because my companions simply watched me talk to her from a distance because they were too nervous, anyway she really wants to get baptized and she feels that the church and the Book of Mormon are true but she is having a really hard time. She is really, really poor and her husband is criticizing her for taking the missionary lessons. She has a lot of adversity at this moment and I would ask you to pray for her so that she can have the strength to continue with us even if her family is against it. We really want her husband's heart to be softened, and I know the Lord will not leave her abandoned. <br />
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My companion Soeur Tehiva is doing better and her niece is healing. I was so happy and relieved. Me and Soeur Tehiva are great companions and best friends. She is very cute and has a firm testimony. <br />
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Funny story from this morning and this week. People here sometimes here are too nice. This morning at the grocery store a mami started pulling out money to give to us just because we were missionaries. I was like,"no no no", and then yesterday this man in our ward that is single, and may or may not be in love with me, called us to tell us he had a big bag of banans to give us. I will be a very very giving person when I get back from my mission. <br />
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This week I learned an important lesson about faith. I have realized that even when it is the most hard to endure and continue and everything seems to be slackening and going really slow that is when I need to have the most faith. Faith is one of the most powerful forces we have, and if I don't have enough faith I could be preventing potential miracles from happening. I know that the Lord works miracles according to our faith, and we show our faith by acting. Showing our faith by offering a simple prayer or doing what is right even when others mock us builds our faith. I love what Elder Eyring said that acting on even a twig of faith allows God to grow it. <br />
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Faith is a choice. <br />
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I showed my faith this week by going and knocking on peoples doors with my companion, who hates doing tracting, in the hopes of finding someone who would be interested in knowing more about the gospel. Did we find anyone...no not really, but I did get to bear my testimony to a Moeari. A 15 year old girl who's mom died and I was able to assure her that she would see her mom again. She probably thought I was crazy but I know it reassured her. <br />
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I am so grateful that we are expected in this life to walk by faith and not by sight. That helps us to grow and find for ourselves that Heavenly Father is really there. He works little miracles in all of our lives. He respects our choices but will do everything in His power to help us make the right choices that will lead us to have all of the same blessings He has. I love Him. <br />
Soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-73656921670768342562014-07-27T14:39:00.000-07:002014-11-12T07:07:15.333-08:00June 30, 2013 - NoelineEvery week is so unpredictable. That includes this week. <br />
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I spent Wednesday night at the hospital with my companion because she got a call that her niece was severely sick and would soon die so we got permission to go to the hospital. Soeur Tehiva was so troubled and sad. She has raised her niece since she was just little and plus her niece is handicapped so she can't talk and can't eat by herself. Soeur Tehiva has fed her and changed her and bathed her since she was little, so it was one of the sadest things to see her this little handicaped girl with a lot of tubes and with a severe lung infection. We got home that night and Soeur Tehiva was very distressed so we asked for our Bishop to come and give her a blessing. That is a great thing about being in such a little Island. All ward members live close. And even I could feel the love and support of our Heavenlly Father when Bishop gave the blessing;<br />
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We also found two new investigators this week. One is Noeline, the sister of a lady in our ward, Rachel. Noeline has had an incredibly hard life. I find that lots of peoples family lives here are no good. There is beating and abuse and Noeline has had a lot of it. All she wants is the joy that she sees in her sister for her and her son, and I don't blame her. We had our first lesson with her and she felt the spirit. We didn't really need to say much just that we knew it would be only through Christ that she would be able to cleanse her heart and her life and take away all of the hate for her abusers. She said she is not yet ready to get married to her boyfriend who she lives with and that is what makes me sad, and could you please pray for her that she will have the faith necessary to obey the law of chastity?<br />
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We also got a new mission president. His name is president Bize and he is French. He is great and I already love him and his wife. I feel like we will have a little more organization with him because he was a CEO. It should be interesting.<br />
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This week I learned about sacrafice. I realized that there were some things I am asked to do that I know are right that I have a hard time with. For example sometimes it is hard for me to be all the time nice to my companion or other people that are mean to me. It is hard for me to love them and sometimes it is hard for me to have enough faith to not fear. I realized that I had not fully submitted my will to the Lord. I wasn't completely humble enough to do everything, even the little tiny things He has asked me. This week I fully submitted. I will no longer have hard feelings or stubborn thoughts when I am asked to do something. I will just do it. It was so good because I was so much more able to feel the love and charity for other people and just be happy. I know that even though it is the hardest choice, humility is always the best choice. President Eyring talked about pavilions that block us from being close the presence of God and pride was definetely my pavilion, But I am letting it go little by little through my faith in my Savior Jesus Christ. <br />
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Don't let the little things block the Savior from being in your life.<br />
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I love you all and I hope that you do safe and good things including remembering at what point you have been blessed in your life to have the gospel.<br />
Soeur Kimball Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-10616051667044396192014-07-27T14:27:00.003-07:002014-11-12T07:03:58.819-08:00June 23, 2014 - Hemana's BaptismFour things about my life<br />
1. I wore a fanny pack all this week because i found it in the cuboard and it is super convenient.<br />
2. I took up the sport of jumproping because my companion doesn't like to exercise so I can't run anymore.<br />
3. I ate dinner literally on top of the mountain Sunday night with a family in our ward.<br />
4. Two young men in our ward that were inactive and unworthy came back to church and became priests! I cried<br />
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A lot of things happened this week actually. Wednesday was the baptism of Hemana. He has been taking the lessons for six or so months because his daughter was dating a mormon. He had a testimony before I came here, but it was us who had to help him live the commandements. He got married the same day as his baptism and I was so happy. His wife matilda. She is just very reserved and hesitant and wasn't ready to leave some things of the world to get baptized. I know we will continue with her and she will continue to progress by developing her faith. <br />
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We invited a lot of people and we had many investigators come to the baptism of Hemana. It was incredible and after he bore his testimony it touched a lot of people. <br />
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The wife of our mission leader isn't a member and she came too. Their son Heiro is handicaped but he can understand everything and tries to respond. I started crying because he was in the very back and at the end of the baptism we sang I am a child of God; heiro sang every single word the best he could. Normally he doesn't talk but he did the best he could to sing at the end of the baptism and it was so touching.<br />
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ASecond great miracle was that we had a huge family home evening program at the church in order to invite our investigators and we combined our ward with the ward of the Elders just next to us and we had 45 investigators that came. Serioiusly, in our ward the new converts are so powerful. Tthey invited so many of their neighbors and just everybody they knew. I was so proud of them and we found people that are interested to take the lessons. <br />
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So right now in our sector we teach a lot of teenager boys and it is so hard because they don't have respect for us and so they make jokes out of everything. I feel like I am going to have so...so...so much patience by the end of this transfer haha. <br />
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Sometimes I am jealous of the people who get transfered in our mission all of the time because they get to see lots of the island but in the end I am so happy to stay for a long time in my sectors because it takes a long time to love people and learn how you can give and sacrifice everything. It is funny because I imagined and promised that I would give everything I could to the Lord on my mission, but part of the mission is learning how to give everything. It is so hard to be completely consecrated, but I know each and each day I am learning more and more how I can leave my other concerns and wordly wants to be an even better instrument in the hands of the Lord.<br />
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We are so blessed to be part of this work in these Latter Days.<br />
Soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-56815138964662914222014-07-20T17:12:00.003-07:002014-11-12T06:53:00.315-08:00June 16, 2014 - Surfer Man GeorgeI got transfered to work at the temple and then President was inspired that I needed to stay in my sector of Tipaerui so I am staying. <br />
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Things were hard this week but one of my companions got transfered so now we are only two companions and it is great.<br />
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Apparently I have to stay in Tipaerui for a reason but I am not sure what that reason is, but I couldn't have been happier. There was a kind of mistake and so now I and my companion live in a huge house with four bedrooms all alone, and we each have our own bathroom, so I am not complaining. <br />
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This week our we had a lot of investigators that came to church and I was so happy. I was especially happy that our investigator George came. He is the crazy surfer man that may or may not be drugged all the time. It is hard to tell, but he came and he loved it. We found him by doing door by door and he makes me laugh. He surfs to feel closer to God and he has a bible for surfers. I should send a picture of him to you guys.<br />
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Also this wednesday we have a baptism for Hemana and I am so excited. He is very incredible and I know he is ready to be part of the true church of God. He even sacrificed working on Sunday. He is getting married Wednesday too so he can be worthy. He is one of the most humble men I have met and I am grateful for his example for me. Unfortunately, his wife doesn't want to get baptized yet even though she has taken all of the missionary lessons. After Hemana is baptized we are going to continue to work with her because I love her too. <br />
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Also this week we ate with Bishop and his family. They are so nice and I loved the raw fish. We ate with a new convert named Saloman. He comes to my english class faithfully every Saturday. It was great and I am so grateful here for a bishop who supports us and tells us we can come over when ever we want and beg for food. <br />
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This week we will be on the search for more investigators so we can find others who are prepared. Please pray so that we will be able to find people who are prepared in our sector. I love you<br />
soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-56496918681530085182014-07-20T16:13:00.001-07:002014-11-11T07:19:49.869-08:00May 19, 2014 - Kulani's Baptism Date QuestionHey everyone. So this week I have had so many experiences. I have cried a lot and been happy a lot. Sometimes I think I might be experiencing what it would be like to be bipolar. I'll just tell a miracle that happened this week. <br />
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This week I offended our ami and made her mad so she wouldn't really let us come and talk to her. I was devastated and lost a lot of confidence.<br />
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This week we kept teaching Kulani and Toimato a young couple. Kulani is going to be having a baby soon and her family is completely protestant. She is one of the most beautiful Tahitian women I have seen and is tall like me so I like her. She has one of the sweetest spirits and is shy but very strong at the same time. Toimato, her boyfriend is super young at heart and is also so so nice. We had scheduled their baptisms for the 28 June so that they could get baptized after Toimato finishes all of his examines. They were super happy with that date and I know they will be ready by then. They love the scriptures and pray every single day now. I am so proud of them. We come to do teach a lesson this week with them and Kulani tells us she talked to her mom who isn't super happy with the baptism and the mom said all of their family would be leaving the 28 June back home to their island in Rurutu. Kulani explained to us that she reallly wants her family to be there for her baptism so she is going to wait with Toimato until September when her family gets back to get baptized and married. It was super uncomfortable because I felt like that wasn't the right answer. It was super awkward but finally we just explained and bore our testimonies about how sometimes we have so sacrifice things in our lives for better things. I wasn't at all direct because I was so scared of offending her like I already offended Norma, but we did our best to encourage them to really, really truly pray to know if the 28 June was the right date for them. <br />
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I remember descending the stairs and feeling so sad. Me and my companion continued to pray and pray for them. <br />
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We had a lesson with them Saturday. Me and Soeur Sommers had decided that we weren't going to talk at all about baptism. We wanted to go back to the basics and talk about our testimonies of Jesus Christ and why we were really there in the first place. We watched "<u>Because of Him</u>." If you haven't watched it you should. We were feeling the spirit and talking about how much Jesus Christ did for us and all of a sudden Kulani starts telling us about an experience she had. She says she prayed and prayed and prayed after the lesson before to know if the 28 June was the date the Lord wanted her to get baptized and if it is a good thing for her. She said she had a bright feeling of light even though she was closing her eyes. She then started to search in her bible to look for an answer and she said she felt like the Lord was helping her learn. She turned to Romans and I forget the scripture but it said to wake up and the day of her salvation was closer then she thought. I know she really felt the spirit. <br />
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It is always so cool when our amis pray and read their scriptures sincerely and start to build their own testimony. She came to the conclusion that she needs to get baptized the 28June. Her faith has grown so much and she is such a good example to all of her family. She is truly a disciple of Christ, and I know God loves her because he didn't want her to postpone the day that she would be able to recieve the fulness of blessings in the gospel as a member of His church. <br />
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I just can't tell you how blessed we are. Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-85217251976533114802014-07-20T15:57:00.000-07:002014-11-11T07:12:47.064-08:00May 5, 2014 - Pray for HumilityHello my dear family and friends. I love you so much and I thank you for praying for me. I don't have a lot of time but here are some things I learned this week. This week I have really been focusing on developing humility in my life, humility with my companion and with my investigators, humility to accept the many responsabilities I have with a willing heart, humility to accept my imperfections, humility to be submissive enough to follow the spirit, and humility to pray sincerely to a loving Heavenly Father.<br />
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Lately I have also been realizing how good thoughtful and sincere prayer is to our Heavenly Father. I remember an experience that Elder Scott shared at the MTC where he said that some nights in the middle of the night while his companion was sleeping he would go just before the window and talk sincerely and openly with God. Before my mission I would say that I have offered many sincere prayers but not enough. The powerfulness of our prayers is dépendent on us. My companion Sister Sommers has taught me alot about sincere prayer. Every time we have prayers for companionship study or for food or just anything she is completely sincere. It is exactly as if Heavenly Father is in the room.<br />
This week I have really tried to be really sincere with my morning prayers because I could do better with them. I can honestly say I have given a sincere morning prayer every day this week and I have been so blessed. I have noticed the spirit more in my life and in the life of my investigators. I have had more will do do the Lord's will instead of my own and more perserverance. I challenge you guys to do the same. I know you will see the hand of the Lord more clearly in your life;<br />
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Besides that six facts about my week.<br />
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1 I learned how to drive stick shift.<br />
2. I am a sister training leader and therefore I feel stressed, because I dont know exactly what that means.<br />
3 We found 4 new investigators, including a family of girls who I already love.<br />
4 I ate so much food yesterday I thought I would die.<br />
5. I was in a Church film thing where I had to pretend my companion was sick and so I pretended to feed her médicine and brush her hair and it was so so funny.<br />
6 I started crying in a lesson and my investigator probably thought I was crazy, but at least the spirit was there.<br />
7. I love the Tahitian people even if sometimes they don't love meNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-4138222239653706222014-07-20T15:48:00.001-07:002014-11-12T06:34:41.551-08:00June 9, 2014 - Temple AssignmentThis week has been really intersting. I got sick because I stressed all night long about our activity that we planned and so I didn't sleep and then I caught a cold which turned into a fever. I am all better now. Thank you Elders for giving me a blessing. <br />
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I found out I am going to get transfered again. It turns out at the temple there is this little center for explaining information about the church and they just re-did the center so now there is information about the restoration and the plan of salvation. They needed tour guides to explain to people the information. The assistants chose eight sisters who they thought would be good for the center and then they told the president to pick four names. And what do you know they picked me to be the representative for the Americans. Funny story. They chose one sister from every race. Me and the little French girl who I trained and a Tahitian and my friend Soeur Aniel who looks Chinese. It is us four who will explain the plan of salvation and the restoration to whoever comes to the center. I guess we will take turns and it will be 4:00 until 8:00 every night. We will also still have sectors. I will have the sector of Papeete with two companions, so now I am really in the inward, inward city. It will be interesting to see what happens. I have to perfectly explain every principle and make smooth transitions. I am actually really excited about it but at the same time I really love working in the field too.<br />
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Lately I have been really feeling less motivated to do things, like talk to people and be a good missionary. It is so much easier to be really motivated when your companions are really motivated. That is somehting I want to work on . I want to talk to and invite every person I meet. Sometimes I am just too scared and it is ridiculous. I get scared my companions will make fun of me or I will forget how to speak, or something dumb. Why on earth should I be scared of a human being? The last time Joseph Smith feared other people more than the Lord he lost 116 pages of the Book of Mormon. I am scared I am going to cause souls to be lost because of my lack of sacrifice and diligence. <br />
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I am this week going to pray every day to have opportunities to talk to people who are ready all along the road. Can you guys also pray that I can be motivated again and not care about what others think about me? Honestly that would really help me.<br />
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I know the church is true and I know He lives and I am grateful that through His sacrifice I can become clean from every wrong thing I have ever done. I can live with my family forever and I can be happy forever; <br />
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But everything starts here and now. Everything depends on us. If we want to become something great we can. The Lord will always help us after we do all that we can. <br />
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Stay safe and never forget the Lord in all you do. Look for oportunities to serve and to progress. <br />
Love Soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-29445486700606153352014-07-16T19:06:00.002-07:002014-07-16T19:06:38.945-07:00Jun 2, 2014 - Courage<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Hello family. I thank you for writing me letters. You really don't know how much that means for me. I always feel so much better after reading my emails and seeing that you are all well. Sometimes it just gets me through the week. This week has been really hard. I really thought I was going to die...Why? Because I got two new companions who I thought wanted to kill me. Apparently I told someone that I wanted my new Tahitian companions to suffer and so they thought I had mean intentions in the first place so the first few days were pretty rough because we were playing 2 Tahitians against the american. But I have never prayed and prayed so fervently. I prayed to soften the hearts of my companions so that they could feel the perfect love of their Savior. I prayed and stressed and prayed and now I don't know what happened but I think my companions figured out that I never wanted to torture them and so things are better. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', 'Segoe UI', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">I think almost all of the companionships are in threes now because there are so many sister missionaries here. </span><br />
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This week with lessons we hit a low point too. We are at the point where we have to put our priorities straight and that means leaving some investigators for a while. It is hard but it is the right thing to do as well. </div>
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I have been really trying to be corageous this week because I read a talk about courage that the prophet gave in the Priesthood session. It takes the most courage for me to do things I know that will annoy my companions but I have to do anyway. For example, this week, like I said, we had a reference in this super ghetto building by a school, so my companions don't know the sector yet so we play follow the leader. I tell my companions we are going to go try to teach this reference and so they follow me behind this really old basketball court into these poor apartements. I yell really loud to see if marereva is there (the reference). I wait five minutes awkwardly surrounded by other people that are ignoring me. Marereva came out and then went back in her house mumbling to herself after she saw us. At this point my companions want to go because they could see that marereva didn't want to see us. They were getting annoyed with me because I was taking too long but two apartments down I saw a family and I wanted to go and talk to them. My companions wouldn't follow me so they just watch me as I went and talked to this family. Turns out the mom Bea was waiting for us. She has already assisted at the church a few times and has member friends. She said when she saw us she knew she wanted to accept us in her neighborhood. She was so prepared for us with her daughter. I was so touched by her and her family and how prepared they were. We felt the spirit as we sang I am a Child of God and as we talked about our Heavenly Father. Even with the surrounding techno music in the background. </div>
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What did I learn that day? Courage. It takes courage to be a good disciple of the Lord and it takes courage to even do things that you know will annoy your hungry friends. I'm not saying that I am courageous all the time like that. I feel like for me it comes in bursts and then goes. But I know the Lord is with us. Our courage is a mesure of our faith and willingness. </div>
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The Lord is truly with us. </div>
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soeur Kimball</div>
Natasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-42315998251658179062014-05-04T17:22:00.000-07:002014-11-11T06:52:32.922-08:00April 28, 2014 - Toimato & KulaniThese past two weeks have been pretty dissapointing. People that really seemed interested in hearing our message decided to not continue or acted like they didn't feel the spirit when I know they did. But I wasn't discouraged, because I know the Lord doesn't work miracles until after a trial of faith. <br />
Something I have really learned this week is to be optimistic even when everything falls through, so that is what I did. I was super happy and worked really hard. It was great. I love my companion and I really, really prayed last night to be able to stay in the same sector with my companion, because the transfer is next week and I don't want to live. I have so much unfinished business.<br />
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This weekend we fasted with my favorite couple Toimato and Kulani. It was really good. Toimatos brother is a new convert in our ward and he decided to share the gospel with his family. Kulani is amazing. She is having a baby in three months and so we fasted for her to not have any problems. They want to get baptized in June but they haven't chosen a date yet because they have to get married.<br />
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Kulani has really felt the spirit in coming to church and has read the Book of Mormon and felt of its truth. She has so much integrity because she told her family of strict protestants that she wanted to be baptized and her dad wasn't too happy, but she stuck firm to her decision because of her faith. It was so incredible to see that no matter what trials she faces with her family she is willing to follow the Lord and the things she has felt by the spirit.<br />
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Also, yesterday was so so amazing because we had Elvina come to church. She is the lady that complains a lot and is super bitter but I really love her. Normally we can't get her to come because she is super scarred everyone will judge her, but she came! I think she was sick of us coming and bugging her and calling her, and she felt the spirit. In relief society we talked about the talk from Elder Uchdorf inviting people to join the church and sharing that this church is for imperfect people. She was touched and after we asked her how she felt and she said it felt really good to come. She feels like it is the true church. She wants to come next week too.<br />
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Oh yah and this week I got to be in a film. I pretended like I was teaching Tahitian children how to do math, and then I walked on the beach with the other missionaries and pretended to say goodbye to the Tahitian people. It was kind of fun but not really because the whole time I was just super stressed out worrying about my sector and my amis. I thought school was stressful but when you are playing with peoples happiness and salvation that is another story.<br />
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Yesterday we finished also a huge round of concerts we have been doing. The spirit was so strong when we sang "The spirit of God". Our mission president said we need to remember that moment for the rest of our lives. <br />
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Well I love you and I challenge you all to do missionary work this week. This is the Lords work and He will help you and inspire your thoughts to know the people you need to visit or just say a kind word. <br />
Love Soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8655875415572175566.post-52364232823669801042014-05-04T16:44:00.002-07:002014-11-11T06:40:46.855-08:00April 21, 2014 - The Real Tahiti<br />
This week was good but things are getting slow again, but it is ok because it just means I am going to work even harder this week with my companion. Sometimes here in Tahiti with all the music, the heat, the humidity, the flowers and the fruit it feels so easy to get sucked into the lazy life. We are surrounded by it and so sometimes it is hard to work, work, work, but I love it here. I can't stop thinking of how grateful I am that the Lord sent me here in Tahiti. Whatever you guys imagine of Tahiti it is not what it is like. I guess it is actually kind of ghetto but I don't realize it anymore because I am just used to it. <br />
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This week I have not been bold enough. I don't know what happened but suddenly everything started scaring me this week. It got to the point where I was scared to talk during lessons and scared to talk to people on the street. Sometimes I have days where everything seems to get harder. I guess it is just Satan working on me but he is never going to win, but seriously no one likes admiting it but we are all stopped by fear sometimes. It is better now. I know that with lots and lots of prayers and fasting and studying the scriptures the Lord can strengthen all of our weaknessess. <br />
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We ate dinner at an American's house and it is seriously on the top of the mountain and we could see half of Tahiti. All of our investigators are doing well but I feel like they have come to the moment where they really need to decide. It is all or nothing. <br />
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One afternoon three weeks ago we found a street behind the chapel and we followed it and there were a whole bunch of old scary looking apartements, and a lot of teenagers. Not a good mix, but we started talking to these teenage girls Moerani and Karina and they were open to take the lessons, so this week we continued to visit them and they are super shy. They don't like to answer questions and they don't like to share experiences, so it is hard to help them because we don't really know them. It was amazing because we found a cousin of Moerani who had already taken the lessons in the Marquies who invited us to her house to talk with her. She told us about Moerani and how her mom just barely died unexpectedly and right now Moerani has started to drink. She is 15 years old and so that just breaks my heart. I know that we were lead to talk to her cousin so that we would be able to better help Moerani. Because there is no way Moerani wouldhave told us those things her self. Heavenly Father Loves His children. That is the only thing I have to say. Now this week we will be better able to help Moerani understand that she can see her mom again and drinking will never help her situation. It is seriously sad how many kids are wasting their lives here drinking...same for parents. Many people smoke and drink their lives away here and it destroys their family and the future of their kids.<br />
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Sorry for the lecture but decisions determine destiny, and if I can just be an instrument in the Lords hand for helping one girl understand who she is so she can make the right decisions now I would be grateful. I love you all and I am so grateful for parents who made good decisions in their youth so that I could be where I am today.<br />
Love Soeur KimballNatasha Kimballhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07858830884693665322noreply@blogger.com0